Love Actually - Christmas Miracle
by mydearelisa
Summary: Joe Walker from Team Starkid confessed his love for Bella at her wedding night with Joey Richter. Now it's nearly Christmas and he knocks her door, begging for a miracle only she can perform.


It was December, nearly Christmas. The streets were mainly white, color of the snow that had been persistently falling day and night since the beginning of winter.

The temperature outside was frigid. It was so cold I thought it was kind of indecent. How could the weather be so extreme in New York? How could it feel so extreme to me, a poor Brazilian woman who had lived her past 25 years in the warm and sunny Rio de Janeiro?

Joey and I were living in Queens, New York. It had always been my dream to live there, so Joey didn't think twice before buying us a small new house in that neighborhood.

On December 20th, Joey went to Los Angeles for a quick visit to his family, and I stayed in NY to do the Christmas shopping. It wasn't pleasant to be alone inside a silent house, in a silent neighborhood covered in snow. It was depressing, actually. Thank God I had a lot of shopping to do, or I'd have gone mad.

"I need a dog." I sighed when Joey's car turned the next corner and disappeared. "Two dogs. I could use some barks right now."

I closed the door with another sigh and a shiver – God, was it getting colder?! – and went to my room to get another coat. I needed to be warm to have the courage to go outside and do some shopping.

It was dark when I returned from the mall with a lot of bags. I entered the garage, parked and turned the lights on right away. Then, shivering and cursing the cold, I got all the bags out of my car and pushed it inside the dark kitchen.

Once inside, I turned on the heating and the Christmas lights. The air immediately got warmer, I took my shoes off and rubbed my feet on the cozy carpet. I smiled. Despite of the cold, I loved Christmas and its lights and carols.

The shivers disappeared as the air got warmer and warmer. I hummed a song as I unfolded the groceries and decided I could do with some music. I turned on the player and Marisa Monte's smooth voice filled the house. How much I missed the Brazilian music!

Eating cherries, I wandered the living room, eyes closed and barefoot, my body moving at the rhythm of Marisa Monte's song. For a moment, I was back in Brazil…

The bell rang and I opened my eyes, suddenly back in the snowy New York.

"Who could it be?" I murmured to myself, heading to the front door.

The song I was listening to switched to "_Ainda Bem_". At the very same moment I opened the door and faced Joe Walker.

"_Ainda bem_

_Que agora encontrei você_

_Eu realmente não sei_

_O que eu fiz pra merecer você..._" Marisa Monte's voice echoed to my ears as I stared blankly at Joe.

"Hi-" he smiled shyly.

"Hi, Joe." I breathed. "Please, come in."

He entered the living room and I closed the door shut. For some reason, it felt like a very heavy ice cube had just hit my stomach. Marisa Monte's voice continued to sing that very significant song and I thanked God for Joe not being able to understand Portuguese.

"This is a beautiful song." Joe whispered, seeming to read my mind. Another heavy ice cube filled my stomach.

I limited myself to agree with a silent nod, and then tried to change the subject. "So, what brings you here?" I smiled, trying not to sound alarmed or surprised. "Joey's not here, he went to LA to see his family-"

Joe stared at me. "I know he's out. I didn't come here to see Joey."

I blushed. "Oh", I look down at my feet, feeling the third ice cube sinking in my stomach, "I see."

Silent fell between us for a second. Joe approached me, he took one step closer.

"This shouldn't be a complete surprise for you." He said, as his dazzling blue eyes shining with a passionate light. "You know how I feel about you, Bella." he whispered.

I stared at him, feeling an odd urge to throw myself into his arms. I sighed, "You shouldn't have come here to tell me those things. This is not right. You knew Joey wouldn't be at home; and you planned to be alone with me to… to tell me those things. I could never expect this from you, Joe."

I crossed my arms and turned my back to him, feeling my heartbeats increasing.

"Do you think it's wrong for me to be here tonight?" I felt Joe approaching me.

"Yes, I do. This isn't very honest, is it, to plan to be alone with your friend's wife at her place, at night-."

"-especially in a very cold night, with Christmas lights all around the house and the heating making the air pleasantly warm and cozy." Joe finished my sentence, once more reading my mind. He whispered those words near my ear, giving me goose bumps. "Look at me, Bella."

Joe touched my chin with the tip of his finger, making me turn to face his blue eyes. When I did, he caressed my chin and looked warmly at me. "I love you."

I sighed heavily.

"I love you with my soul." He went on, "I can't take you off my mind. Day and night I'm thinking about you, wishing you were my wife. Day and night I'm aiming for your lips on mine-" he breathed, and approached his face to mine.

"Joe-" I breathed, touching his hand.

"You don't know how much I regret not offering myself to take you home that night after the show. I should have been the one, not Joey."

"Don't say that, Joe. You can't change what had happened."

"But I can change what will happen. I want the future to be you and me. You and me, every day and every night."

His voice felt like velvet rubbing against my skin when he said "every night", and my heart almost stopped. I couldn't help imagining Joe and I, every night…

"Jesus, Joe! Stop it!" I moaned, wanting to get rid of him, but incapable to move at the same time. "Stop torturing us!"

Joe's lips molded a radiant smile. "_Us_? Did you just say _us_?"

Oh my God, what was happening to me? I had just spoken my mind out loud. Of course I thought Joe Walker was an attractive man. What woman on Earth could think him less than the sexiest man alive? I was married to and loved Joey, but let's face it… Joe Walker drives any woman insane.

I glared at him and bit my lower lip, but said nothing.

"You just said _us_ and I know what that means. You feel something for me." Joe waited for my answer, but I gave none. "Say something, Bella! Please!"

I rolled my eyes at him, "C'mon, Joe. It's hard for any woman to resist such devotion like that one you're showing for me."

We went silence again, as the song switched and Nando Reis's voice started to sing "Sei". Once again I was thankful that Joe doesn't understand Portuguese.

"You're a mystery to me, you know." Joe said. "And that's exactly what makes me want to have you revealed. Reveal yourself to me, Bella." His voice was low and husky.

"This is not right…"

I felt it when Joe grabbed my waist and held me closer. He knew I wanted him. Of course he did. My pheromones were probably exploding and the filling the air.

"Only one night, Bella. This is going to be our secret."

"No, Joe. No. Go away. I love Joey-" I ridiculously tried to push his chest away.

"And I love you." He whispered, "I'll show you that in the most pleasant way." He kissed my ear and I sighed.

Joe held me even closer as his other hand held the back of my neck. He rubbed his face on mine, and I felt his skin was so soft and warm, it felt like silk.

"It's nearly Christmas. Maybe I deserve a gift?" he whispered close to my ear and kissed my cheek. His lips left kisses all the way down my face to the corner of my mouth. There he stopped, and his piercing eyes devoured mine.

Once again, the song switched, and what I heard was the last push I needed to give in to him. Martinalia's husky voice started to sing "Namora Comigo", and then I was defeated.

"Today I'm alone

You're into me

It's useless to hide

There's no other way

Everything is perfect

Now it's only you and me

Together at the same road

Crossing the dawn…"

I glared at Joe and slightly opened my lips. That was the clearest sign. Joe tightly held the hair of the back of my neck, and then his mouth devoured mine.

Joe Walker tasted like Joe Walker should taste: Delicious and intoxicating. He kissed me furiously, as if he had been waiting for that kiss for too long. His tongue fought with mine, exploring my mouth, as he held me so close and so tight I could barely move.

My hands wandered over his chest as we kissed. I could feel his well-shaped muscles under his shirt, his pectorals retracting as he held me.

"God, Bella!" Joe breathed when we finally stopped.

My lips were swollen red because of the wild kiss, and I wanted more. I wasn't done with him, I wanted so much more! I wanted Joe to lie me on my sofa and...

"No!" I pushed him away.

Joe let me go with a happy smile.

"You might don't accept it, but you love me too." he pointed out.

"You're wrong. We can't love two people at the same time. Either you love one, or your heart belongs to nobody."

"The way you kissed me contradicts your words." Joe approached one step closer and held my hand, helping it to his lips.

The song ended and suddenly we were immersed in complete silence, looking at each other with our hearts beating so fast we could almost hear it.

"Let me love you, Bella. Let me show you how much love I have inside of me." he murmured, starting right into my eyes.

I turned my back to him. "Let's not do anything to feel ashamed of tomorrow." I stuttered, wanting so bad to believe my own words.

Joe approached me and held my waist with both hands, caressing me as he left gentle kisses on my neck. I leaned on his chest and closed my eyes, suppressing a sigh.

He kissed and licked my neck, then sweetly bite my earlobe. I let out a sigh full of meanings. His hands held me tighter and pulled me closer to his body.

When I felt Joe's muscles against my body, as well as his desire, I helped my hands over my head, and surrounded his neck. I felt Joe breathe heavily against my skin, and his hands worked their way up, caressing my belly, my tummy and my breasts. Finally, one of his hands stopped at my neck, while the other one held me against his lower abdomen.

"You're my Christmas miracle, Bella" Joe mumbled, and I knew he was smiling.

I turned myself to face him. I grabbed his face with my both hands and accepted his mouth once more.

No one would know it. No one would never know it.


End file.
